Integrated cold plates will help realize free cooling

The primary reason for adopting direct liquid cooling (DLC) in servers is the push to pack more processors and memory chips into each rack. The close integration of IT electronics and the compact chassis form factors of high-density server hardware often make air cooling impractical. Liquid coolants can remove concentrated heat from tight spaces more effectively. The need to cool high-density racks remains the primary driver for data center operators to support DLC systems in their facilities in 2025.

As cooling and IT designs evolve, one seemingly small technical detail will have an outsized effect on the overall business case: the interface between the cold plates (or immersion heat sinks) and the IT chips. Several manufacturers — including Accelsius, Boyd Corporation, Chilldyne, CoolIT Systems, Fabric8, JetCool, Motivair, ZutaCore — introduced improvements to their cold plates in 2025. Some have also expressed interest in closer collaboration with chipmakers to reduce thermal bottlenecks at the points where their respective products meet.